(a) The Congress finds and declares that -
(1) vast segments of the public rangelands are producing less
than their potential for livestock, wildlife habitat, recreation,
forage, and water and soil conservation benefits, and for that
reason are in an unsatisfactory condition;
(2) such rangelands will remain in an unsatisfactory condition
and some areas may decline further under present levels of, and
funding for, management;
(3) unsatisfactory conditions on public rangelands present a
high risk of soil loss, desertification,(!1) and a resultant
underproductivity for large acreages of the public lands;
contribute significantly to unacceptable levels of siltation and
salinity in major western watersheds including the Colorado
River; negatively impact the quality and availability of scarce
western water supplies; threaten important and frequently
critical fish and wildlife habitat; prevent expansion of the
forage resource and resulting benefits to livestock and wildlife
production; increase surface runoff and flood danger; reduce the
value of such lands for recreational and esthetic purposes; and
may ultimately lead to unpredictable and undesirable long-term
local and regional climatic and economic changes;
(4) the above-mentioned conditions can be addressed and
corrected by an intensive public rangelands maintenance,
management, and improvement program involving significant
increases in levels of rangeland management and improvement
funding for multiple-use values;
(5) to prevent economic disruption and harm to the western
livestock industry, it is in the public interest to charge a fee
for livestock grazing permits and leases on the public lands
which is based on a formula reflecting annual changes in the
costs of production;
(6) the Act of December 15, 1971 (85 Stat. 649, 16 U.S.C. 1331
et seq.), continues to be successful in its goal of protecting
wild free-roaming horses and burros from capture, branding,
harassment, and death, but that certain amendments are necessary
thereto to avoid excessive costs in the administration of the
Act, and to facilitate the humane adoption or disposal of excess
wild free-roaming horses and burros which because they exceed the
carrying capacity of the range, pose a threat to their own
habitat, fish, wildlife, recreation, water and soil conservation,
domestic livestock grazing, and other rangeland values;
(b) The Congress therefore hereby establishes and reaffirms a
national policy and commitment to:
(1) inventory and identify current public rangelands conditions
and trends as a part of the inventory process required by section
1711(a) of this title;
(2) manage, maintain and improve the condition of the public
rangelands so that they become as productive as feasible for all
rangeland values in accordance with management objectives and the
land use planning process established pursuant to section 1712 of
this title;
(3) charge a fee for public grazing use which is equitable and
reflects the concerns addressed in paragraph (a)(5) above;
(4) continue the policy of protecting wild free-roaming horses
and burros from capture, branding, harassment, or death, while at
the same time facilitating the removal and disposal of excess
wild free-roaming horses and burros which pose a threat to
themselves and their habitat and to other rangeland values;
(c) The policies of this chapter shall become effective only as
specific statutory authority for their implementation is enacted by
this chapter or by subsequent legislation, and shall be construed
as supplemental to and not in derogation of the purposes for which
public rangelands are administered under other provisions of law.